The study found that almost two-thirds of the world's population lives where access to legal abortion is relatively easy, compared with one-third five years earlier.

During the past decade, thirty-three countries have liberalized their abortion laws, and twelve nations now permit abortion on demand during the first three months of pregnancy.

In Italy, despite fierce opposition from the Vatican and the governing Christian Democratic party, the Chamber of Deputies approved a liberal abortion law in January.

Until this year, abortion was illegal in Israel unless the woman's life was in danger. On January 31 the parliament passed a partially reformed law.

The new law legalizes abortion after approval by a three-member committee consisting of two doctors and a social worker. Harm to a woman's emotional as well as physical health is now a criterion for granting abortions.

A feature in the January Scientific American reports that "over the past 10 years in many countries abortion has changed from a largely disreputable practice into an accepted medical one, from a subject of gossip into an openly debated public issue."

Yet, the article goes on to say, "the issue is far from being settled." For instance, last year West Germany went from a liberal abortion law to a more restrictive one.

March 18, 1952
The American way of life has so effectively segregated Negro and white workers that one of the first tasks in breaking the old patterns and winning equal opportunities for Negroes is to make their white fellow workers conscious that discrimination exists.

When the problem is discussed, many white workers point to the fact that their unions admit Negroes to membership; they cite "civil rights conferences" sponsored by their CIO district or regional office, speeches made by union leaders at conventions, or union pamphlets supporting Fair Employment Practices legislation, and conclude that Jim Crow has been licked in their unions.

Actually, a much closer examination of the conditions in their plants and unions is necessary, before they can appreciate the many forms that discrimination takes and what can be done to fight it effectively through the unions.

Here are just a few of the questions workers should ask themselves if they want to build strong unions capable of facing the employers' attacks with a solid and united membership:

1. Are Negroes in our plants employed in all classifications? If not, why not? Are there "Negro jobs" and "white jobs"?

2. Is upgrading overtime work and preferred work shift assignment completely impartial and fair?

3. Do layoffs and terminations hit Negro workers harder than the rest, and if so, what is the union doing to change that pattern?  
 
 
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